Too Close for Comfort
by fireweed15
Summary: Original Knight Rider. Michael and KITT were used to brushes with death—it came with the territory. This one, though, so far as KITT was concerned, was too close for comfort.


After the mission, everything seemed to bleed into one mass of activity—getting everything squared away with local law enforcement, telephone briefings with the Foundation and so on—so it wasn't too much of a surprise that Michael's and KITT's needs had been put on the back burner to simmer.

At least KITT's needs were simple—get him to Bonnie, get a few things realigned and readjusted and allow the Trans AM his rest (the little he needed). Michael's needs, though, were more significant.

One of said needs had been neglected, and was rapidly giving way to a second, more intense need.

-

The road was quiet for the middle of the afternoon on a Saturday. Not that Michael or KITT were ungrateful for it; it certainly made for a pleasant drive, the open road under your tires, stretched out as far as the eye could see. Besides which, the Southwest scenery was quite beautiful.

Now if only Michael could keep himself alert long enough to enjoy it. He ran one hand through his hair, trying to keep his unfocused eyes on the road.

_Is everything all right, Michael?_ This was KITT, speaking for the first time in nearly a half hour.

"Fine, KITT," Michael replied, offering the vocal modulator a tired smile. "How about you?"

_Michael, we've been over this_, KITT answered. If he had been human, he would have smiled good-naturedly. _I don't tire in the same way you do. _

"Sorry—forgot." Michael chuckled lightly before pausing to rub his eyes. Damn, he was tired.

_Perhaps you should rest_, KITT suggested.

"I've got it under control, KITT," Michael politely declined.

_I'm afraid that wasn't a suggestion, Michael._ KITT replied, gentle but firm. _Everything is under control. _As he spoke, the drivers' seat started to recline slightly.

"If it'll get you off my case, sure," Michael teased, lying back and getting comfortable. "Wake me when we're almost to rendezvous?"

_Of course, Michael. Sleep well_. KITT had no sooner spoken than he noted Michael's breathing had become soft and slow, the most reliable indicator that he was sleeping deeply. KITT quietly switched into Auto Control and adjusted the internal temperature to match Michael's preferences before continuing to drive.

Nearly a half hour later, the rendezvous point was a mile away. _Michael, we're almost to rendezvous_, KITT told the sleeping human.

Michael didn't respond. _Michael, you asked me to wake you before we arrived_, KITT tried again.

Still, no answer from the sleeping human. _Michael_. KITT's vocal modulator had taken on a stern tone. _Michael, if this is a practical joke, your sense of humor is lacking. Wake up. _

Michael still hadn't responded, either with words or a physical reaction. Now, rather than feeling annoyance, KITT was beginning to grow concerned. _…Michael? Are you even listening to me? Michael, wake up._

Four addresses and not the first reaction. KITT couldn't say what, but something was seriously wrong with his human companion; he also knew that if he were a human, his hands would be shaking; as a Trans AM, he didn't have hands, and technically speaking couldn't shake, but he _could _be deeply concerned as he pulled up a medical scan.

The data—pale skin slicked with sweat, rapid heartbeat and shallow breathing—wasn't too promising, and seemed to indicate heat exhaustion… which would have made sense in the middle of summer, rather than the current month of late March. No poisons were detected in Michael's bloodstream, and to KITT's knowledge the human had no medical maladies. The Trans AM's list of possible illnesses had been exhausted in less than ten seconds.

There was only one real option now. KITT easily doubled his speed and pulled up a telephone link while keeping a portion of his attention to Michael's medical readouts.

One… two… three… four rings. In a base routine, KITT could feel some circuits heating up in anxiety; why wasn't she—

"Hey, KITT." Bonnie's voice finally came through the link.

_Bonnie, we have a problem_, KITT told her in lieu of a return greeting.

"What's up?"

_Something's wrong with Michael_, KITT told her with little in the way of prelude.

A wry chuckle came through the line. "Oh, KITT, where to start?"

_Bonnie, this is serious_, KITT informed her icily.

The tone was far from lost on her. "What's going on, KITT?"

KITT explained the circumstances, starting from their last check-in to now. _We're one-half mile from the rendezvous point and Michael will need medical attention._

KITT could hear paperwork shuffling in the background. "I'll be waiting for you."

_Thank you, Bonnie_. KITT severed the link and continued to drive toward the mobile unit. When he arrived, he bypassed the customary ramp and waited for Bonnie to arrive. KITT checked Michael's vitals again; his fingers were twitching in… KITT refused to call it sleep.

Bonnie stepped out of the mobile unit and climbed into KITT's passenger seat. She had barely closed the door when KITT took off, laying out a local map and pinpointing the addresses of any emergency room within a ten-mile radius on one of the screens that wasn't devoted to Michael's vital signs.

"When was the last time he ate?" Bonnie asked the Trans AM as she reached over to place two fingers on Michael's carotid artery.

_Before the mission came to a head_, KITT replied with certainty. How could he forget that meal, spent parked under a budding tree and enjoying some peace…? _It would have been… six o'clock in the evening on Friday. Why do you ask?_

"I have the feeling the doctors are going to want to know…" Bonnie said vaguely as KITT pulled into the hospital parking lot and stopped outside the emergency room doors. KITT caught the vague wording, but didn't have the heart, literally or metaphorically, to question it.

-  
><em>Several Hours Later…<em>

Any more waiting and KITT was certain a circuit would pop. Bonnie had "borrowed" Michael's comm watch when they'd gone into the hospital with the promise that Michael was being seen and that she would keep him posted.

_Michael's… going to be all right, right, Bonnie?_ he'd asked quietly.

"Of course, KITT. I promise."

That was earlier in the afternoon; it was now evening, and the only thing KITT had heard so far was that Michael had a seizure—a mild one, but still very disconcerting news nonetheless—just after he'd had been admitted. KITT tried to picture Michael's body convulsing; he couldn't. Couldn't, or was he simply unwilling? More likely than not the latter of the two.

Time had slowed to a crawl. For the first time in his admittedly short life, KITT was anxious, impatient. He would have driven around the block the hospital building occupied, until there were deep ruts in the pavement… but he couldn't possibly tear himself away from radio communication with Bonnie, even if the comm watch had one hell of a range on it.

Suddenly, two heat signatures, both of them blessedly familiar, emerged from the ER doors and were heading in his direction. KITT pulled out of the parking place in which he'd settled himself and met the two humans halfway. Bonnie had a steadying hand on Michael's shoulder and was carrying his jacket. Michael was walking slowly, but with his head held high.

_Hello, Michael_, KITT greeted warmly, making no effort to disguise the relief in his voice.

Michael smiled and patted the hood of the Trans AM lovingly. "Hey, KITT." He sounded tired, but his warmth and friendly nature (the latter reserved especially for KITT) seemed to have come through with the rest of him.

Bonnie stepped around to KITT's driver side. "I'll get you boys back home," she announced, opening the door.

"Bonnie, I'm not that far gone—" Michael protested.

_Michael, considering the… scare you gave us this afternoon, I think it would be best if you let Bonnie drive_, KITT cut in. A portion of his consciousness was acutely aware that the situation had certainly been dire if KITT was willing to let someone other than Michael in the drivers' seat.

Michael chuckled darkly. "Two against one isn't very fair," he told them as he climbed into the passenger seat.

Bonnie laughed and laid Michael's jacket in the back seat. "Go ahead and take us home, KITT."

KITT pulled out of the parking lot and turned east. Bonnie and Michael were chatting quietly, their voices forming a sort of lulling white noise to which to drive. Subtly, KITT pulled up a second medical scan. Aside from being weak and having a light case of the tremors, Michael was as healthy as he had been that morning.

That was when KITT noticed—_Michael, there's a packet of insulin syringes in your jacket pocket. _

Michael lifted his head from the headrest. "Hmm? What'dya say KITT?"

_There are five insulin syringes in your jacket pocket_, KITT repeated. _Insulin glargine, Lantus brand, one hundred milliliters per syringe._

"Got 'em from the hospital, KITT," Michael replied casually. "They're fine."

_I'm aware that they're safe_, KITT explained. _What I don't understand is why you have them. _

"You didn't tell him anything?" Bonnie cut in, looking over at Michael with mild disbelief in her eyes.

_I beg your pardon, Bonnie? _KITT asked.

"Didn't want to worry him," Michael explained, keeping his voice low and level.

_Didn't want to worry me about what, Michael? _

"Michael is type one diabetic," Bonnie explained to KITT before Michael could answer.

KITT paused to think. _Then this afternoon's episode was—_

"Hypoglycemia, yes," Michael confirmed, his tone suggesting that this was a conversation he'd rather not be having.

_Is this a recent diagnosis?_ KITT questioned.

"I was diagnosed when I was six," Michael explained.

_Michael, I'm hurt that you wouldn't mention this to me_. KITT's words were level, but there was an obvious layer of pain behind them.

"KITT—"

_Why was this never brought up?_ KITT pressed.

"Because I knew the second I pulled out a Humalog or a Lantus, you'd start to worry about what it was, where it came from, and you'd be my insulin police," Michael explained. "The we'd have to babysit the needles 'cause if someone really had it in for me, they could tamper with them. I didn't want you to worry like that."

_You would rather me worry when you go into hypoglycemic shock? _KITT said quietly. _You would rather I sit back and let you put yourself at risk for stroke or the loss of your life? _

Michael sighed, rubbing his temples. "KITT… just drive. We'll talk about it later, okay?"

_Yes, Michael, _KITT said softly, his tone one of utter defeat.

-

The Foundation's grounds were beautiful in spring, especially at sunset. If KITT and Michael were up to talking with one another, one would have commented on it to the other. However, the pair hadn't really spoken since the drive from the hospital. Michael hadn't spoken as he and Bonnie left KITT outside HQ, nor as he had returned shortly thereafter, bottle of orange juice in hand as he climbed into the drivers' seat.

KITT didn't greet him, and Michael didn't say anything as he drove away from the mansion and to a small swell of land overlooking a stream. As previously mentioned, it was sunset now, and the pair watched the scene. Aside from a plastic juice bottle lid being unscrewed every so often, and Michael's accompanying quiet sips, there was no sound of which to speak.

"Thanks, KITT."

KITT pulled himself into the present. The part of his AI that had evolved to care about Michael above and beyond the call of duty jumped at hearing his partner's voice once more, but he wasn't certain what the words were for just yet. _For what, Michael?_

"Given how low my sugar was, if you hadn't been around to catch it, I'd probably be dead right now," Michael explained, turning the empty juice bottle over in his hands.

The idea of Michael's death sent waves on anxiety through KITT's consciousness, but he knew Michael was right—had the human been driving any other vehicle, he'd have simply pulled over to sleep, or have lost consciousness and gotten into an accident. He told the human as such.

Michael leaned forward and patted the dashboard. "You take good care me, KITT. I really appreciate it."

This time, KITT was grateful he _wasn't_ human—as a Trans AM, his pleased blush in response to Michael's sincere, appreciative praise was evident only to him. _Thank you very much, Michael. I try. _


End file.
